Cone to leave NWSL champion Thorns for personal reasons

The Portland Thorns are coming off an NWSL championship, but they will have a new coach next season.

Sources tell SI.com that Cindy Parlow Cone is leaving as coach of the league champions for personal reasons. Portland will announce a new head coach next week, and one top candidate is Paul Riley, a former WPS Coach of the Year.
Cone guided the Thorns to an 11-6-5 record and road playoff wins over FC Kansas City and the Western New York Flash to capture the title, earning a nod on FIFA's shortlist for 2013 World Coach of the Year for Women's Football in the process.

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